Local athletes in college: Devils take a look at Ryan Rosenthal

Ryan Rosenthal's productive season in the British Columbia Hockey League earned him more than a full scholarship to Northeastern.

The Montvale native has been invited to attend the Devils' development camp during the summer.

After limited playing time at Vermont last season, Rosenthal was hoping he would earn exposure and a scholarship by playing for the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL.

The move paid off. Rosenthal led the Express in goals (34) in the regular season and in playoff scoring with 22 points in 19 games.

"It's just been an amazing year," said Rosenthal, who attended the Kent School (Conn.) before college. "I got to play in a ton of games and a ton of situations. [Express coach Barry Wolff] did so much for me. I owe a lot to the BCHL and the Express."

The Vancouver Canucks also scouted Rosenthal during the BCHL playoffs, but he opted for the Devils after New Jersey president and general manager Lou Lamoriello contacted his family adviser.

"I've always been a Devils fan," Rosenthal said. "Having a homegrown kid is probably pretty special for them, and for me, too, obviously."

* John Porteous of NJIT, a junior from Wood-Ridge, has qualified for the NCAA Division I Track and Field East Regional that begins Thursday at North Florida. Porteous' time of 51.57 in the 400-meter hurdles ranks 24th in the field of 48. Porteous reeled off the school-record time at the IC4A Championships. He's the first NJIT athlete to qualify for the nationals.

* Donnie Cimino, a junior from Westwood, and Sammy Elias, a junior from Norwood and Old Tappan, were big contributors as Wesleyan advanced to its Division III regional championship game, losing to Baldwin Wallace. Cimino hit .329 and was a first-team All-New England Small College Conference choice. Elias was 3-1 with a 2.89 earned run average, and led the conference with five saves. In his first start of the season after recording a save the night before, Elias went seven innings without allowing an earned run in a regional semifinal victory over Susquehanna.

* Ryan Sharkey of Rowan, a junior pitcher from Rutherford and St. Mary, was selected to the American Baseball Coaches Association Division II/III third-team All-State squad. Sharkey was 4-1 with one shutout and one save, and had a 2.90 earned run average and 29 strikeouts.

* Keara Fenzel, a senior from Ridgewood, was among 10 Hamilton (N.Y.) athletes named to the New England Small College Conference's All-Sportsmanship team. She's a member of the women's crew team.

* Megan Gowe, a sophomore from Hackensack, hit .333 and drove in 17 runs for the softball team at Misericordia (Pa.). Melanie Quintanilla, a freshman from Hasbrouck Heights and Immaculate Conception, batted .236 with 13 RBI for the Cougars (25-17).